With the king in Oporto, and Guimarães held for Castile, as you have already heard, its governor and officer of the marches was a certain Aires Gomes da Silva, supported by eighty noble and honourable squires, such as Gonçalo Peres Coelho, Gonzalo Mariño, who was betrothed to the daughter of Aires Gomes, Aires Gomes the Younger, Álvaro de Tordehumos, who was a celebrated man-at-arms, and other squires from the area, both Galicians and Castilians, indeed, ample numbers for its defence. This town of Guimarães is strong and has powerful defences, not just the town, which has two defensive walls, but also the castle in itself. Aires Gomes was a hoary elderly man, well advanced in years. He was the most highly honoured man of his lineage and had been King Fernando's mentor. Handsome and well built, he maintained a fine household, characteristic of a great nobleman. His wife was a Castilian named Doña Urraca Tenorio, the sister of Don Pedro Tenorio, who was the Archbishop of Toledo.

It so happened that in Guimarães there dwelt a noble squire, Afonso Lourenço Carvalho, who was the most honourable and highly regarded man in the town. An uncle of his, João Rodrigues Carvalho, was of the king's party, while other relatives were followers of Dom Lourenço, who was the Archbishop of Braga. Since Afonso Lourenço was the most prominent figure in the town and had relatives in the king's party, Aires Gomes was apprehensive and greatly suspicious of him. This suspicion ran so deep that one day he sent him a message to say that, if he did not wish to be belligerent towards him or cause him any trouble, then he should send away all his followers and dispatch them to wheresoever he saw fit, including to his estates, and not to keep any with him, or else remain inside his house and not go out with them; if he did, then he, Aires Gomes, would inflict upon him as much havoc as he could.

Afonso Lourenço had a following of squires and foot soldiers and, owing to bonds of friendship and benefits [he distributed], he was closely allied to most people in the town. Consequently, it was grievous for him to send his followers away and to give up contact with his friends; however, recognising the demands of the times, he was forced to do so.